1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aqueous bubble forming solutions; and, more particularly, to an improved aqueous bubble solution containing any of a variety of natural or artificial animal scents designed to attract an animal towards the source of the scent.
2. Description of Related Art
Bubble blowing is a long recognized and widely practiced pastime. In its simplest form, bubble blowing has typically involved dipping a ring-shaped article into a liquid soap solution, followed by blowing air into the ring to form one or more bubbles. Alternatively, the ring may be moved rapidly through the air in order to force air through the ring and thereby form the bubbles.
In recent years, however, an entire industry has arisen to promote and take advantage of the surge in popularity of this form of childhood entertainment and education. There have been advances both in mechanical toys designed to produce bubbles rapidly and in large quantity, and in toys designed to affect the size and consistency of the bubbles. The goal of each of these advances has been to enhance the child""s experience and level of excitement in practicing this pastime.
In spite of the many mechanical advances made in this industry, there have not been many advances in the formulation of the standard bubble solution. A wide variety of bubble forming kits are available in the marketplace for consumer use. The kits typically include a non-toxic bubble forming solution packaged in a suitable container and some type of ring-shaped device for use in forming the bubbles. As an alternative to using commercially available bubble forming kits of the type described, children or their guardians often mix homemade bubble solutions utilizing liquid detergents, such as liquid dishwashing detergents, and then blow bubbles using home-made ring shaped devices which can be made from a variety of common household items or materials.
Similarly, there have been developed and brought to market scented animal attractants. Such scented animal attractants have been developed primarily for the hunting industry, as, for example, deer lures. These scented animal attractants typically either are natural or artificial formulations comprising or approximating the female estrous for the species sought to be attracted. The most notable examples may be found with reference to the deer hunting industry. Wellington Leisure Products, Inc., for example, provides to the market a natural deer estrous solution for use by hunters in attracting male deer, or bucks. Other companies provide similar, but often artificially formulated, products.
In use, a hunter will spread the scented deer attractant about the area in which he is hunting. The attractant may be placed upon the ground, upon tree trunks, or the like. The process is time intensive and consumes a substantial amount of the solution. Although several commercial enterprises provide such attractants, none provide a delivery system for the attractant designed to enhance the effectiveness of the attractant and reduce the time for its effective distribution.
Since enhancement of the bubble formulation during recreational and educational activities has been limited, for the most part, to improving the size, number, quantity, or rate of production of the bubbles, it would, therefore, be desirable to provide a new dimension to bubble formulations in order to utilize the bubble formulation to enhance the distribution of a scented animal attractant of the type hereinabove described. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a bubble solution containing any of a variety of natural or artificial scented animal attractants designed to enhance the distribution of the attractant.
It would be further desirable to add any of a variety of natural or artificial scented animal attractants to the standard bubble forming solution to increase the efficacy of the attractant and to enhance the enjoyment of sport hunting using any of the devices previously referenced, under a wide variety of conditions. It is, therefore, to these ends that the present invention has been developed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bubble forming solution containing any of a variety of natural or artificial scented animal attractants.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bubble forming solution containing any of a variety of natural or artificially scented animal attractants in order to add a new dimension to, and otherwise enhance, the sport hunting experience.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bubble forming solution containing any of a variety of natural or artificial scented animal attractants in order to increase the efficacy of the attractant and its method of distribution.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a bubble forming solution containing any of a variety of natural or artificial scented animal attractants, which solution will be compatible with the many mechanical bubble forming devices available in the market.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to one ordinarily skilled in the art from a review of the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
In accordance with the objectives of the present invention, provided is a bubble forming solution for developing a bubble that carries with it through the air any of a variety of artificial or natural scented animal attractants. When the bubble formed from this solution eventually collapses, it releases into the surrounding air, in the form of atomized droplets, a sudden burst of natural or artificial scented animal attractants. This sudden burst of attractant has been observed to substantially enhance the effectiveness of the natural or artificial scented animal attractants in their operation as an animal lure. This is so because the bubble distribution mechanism allows the attractant to be targeted and distributed more easily, conveniently, and over a wider area than would be normally provided according to traditional hand distribution methods. The atomized solution so developed distributes tiny droplets over an entire area, so that the overall efficacy of the attractant is thereby multiplied. The solution naturally is distributed by air movement according to the line of smell of the animal.
Animals have been observed to more readily follow the attractant so distributed. The attractant bubbles in accordance with the present invention, thus blown, not only are appealing in smell to the animal, but significantly enhance the efficacy of the attractant. Greater numbers of animals may be attracted with less work on the part of the sportsman.
The present invention is based upon the discovery that attractant agents, including estrous solutions of natural or artificial origin, can be added to conventional bubble forming solutions in amounts which are sufficient to provide animal attractant bubbles without deleteriously affecting the capability of the solution to form suitable bubbles. A bubble forming solution in accordance with the present invention, thus, includes a sufficient amount of a surface-active agent to provide formation of the bubbles when a gas is introduced into contact with the solution and a sufficient amount of an attractant to provide the aromatic component of the bubbles.
As a feature of the present invention, the attractant agent may be any of a variety of natural or artificial agents, formed from either natural or manmade extracts of animal or plant origin, to provide the attractant component of the bubble. The attractant agent, selected from the group consisting of extracts, oils, olifactory agents, and perfumes, can be added to the bubble forming solution in amounts up to about eighty (80) volume percent.
As a feature of the present invention, it was discovered that bubble hardeners, well known in the prior art, such as glycerin, may also be added to the bubble forming solution in amounts up to about one volume percent to enhance bubble formation and stability. It was discovered that the addition of the bubble hardener does not adversely affect the bubble formation or attractant properties of the bubble forming solution in accordance with the present invention.
The present invention provides a simple and effective method for enhancing bubbles with animal attractants for use in a wide variety of educational, entertainment, and recreational settings. The attractant bubbles in accordance with the present invention provide an especially attractive bubble with unique properties to enhance the efficacy of the attractant according to its intended used.